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Hi, guys!
I've been practicing with Listening section lately but I don't seem to make any progress to reach 7+ band, unfortunately and I NEED your HELP!
My average score is 6.0 (22-24 out of 40), my worst result 5.5, best result ever 7.0, (happened only once!!!). I've done all the training Listening from Cambridge IELTS 5 to 9 (20+ exams in all).
In each exam, I feel I can do (+3-7 answers) better, because I really hear what has been said, but anyway write incomplete answer. What I find the most complicated is answering multi-choice questions - I just can't read the questions and all the distractors and listen to the audio simultaneously.
My additional Listening activities include listening to the training podcast from Cutting-Edge textbook up to Upper-Intermediate, a lot of TED talks, many episodes from TV series such as Prison break, Dexter, Black Sails, etc., Radio 4 from BBC, 6 min English from BBC, what else... well many mini-lectures from engvid.com from native speakers. I still don't feel absolutely confident at listening, will I ever feel that?
What else can I do to improve my score? Is there any additional listening materials other than Cambridge IELST 1-9? Thank you for your advice in advance!
P.S. I have plenty of opportunities to study and in summer I'm going to immerse in the work of preparation to IELTS exam full-time!

Dear Gelever, hi, imo, the "problem" might be to do with how you 'use' the Listening Test preparation. I train my students over a strict four week cycle! NO DEVIATIONS. Here's the Methodology,

https://www.movenote.com/v/OntENSpLj4LCG

also, visit:

http://www.internationaleap.org/ielts.php

and scroll down to the Listening Advice Module. Sorry to say, just taking one Listening Test after another and then listening to some English language movies or the BBC is pretty much a waste of your time and resources Good luck.

Thank you, Dr. Matt for the valuable advice! I should get acquainted with your methodology.
I liked your idea to get prepared in one month only. I suppose I'll do it in the summer, when I have some free time and can dedicate it to my IELTS preparation.
I hope I'll get the hang of Listening at last!
One question: Do you require your students to have a serious English level so that they could successfully go through one-month preparation period? I mean certain experience in English (Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Advance), vocabulary (size?), perhaps any entrance exams (tests?)? Do you divide your students into groups according to the desired IELTS score? I just want to decide if I can meet these criteria.
Thank you very much for you reply!

Dear Gelever, mostly I work 1 to 1 so it's not so much of a problem. ALSO, the M.I.C.E (Melbourne International College of English!) Methods I suggest for both Listening and Writing (eg. the Copy Technique/Copy Cover Check) are almost ENTIRELY for self directed study....so, all this advice is for someone who is MOSTLY working by him/herself.

Mostly where you need a tutor is with your writing and speaking and with your writing especially I have indicated my program here (pls see: http://www.internationaleap.org/ielts.php)

"In our experience, it is possible to make quick progress in the writing for the IELTS Test. The secrets are to practice copying excellent examples of good English (but NOT fiction or articles from the newspaper!), research and write 5 model task 1s and 10 model task 2s, and, finally, have your writing checked by an expert and then rewrite, check and rewrite until PERFECT.

In Week 4, write several task 1 and task 2 tests under test conditions (two tasks in 60 minutes without notes or a dictionary etc). Have these tasks checked and graded by an expert. These will then be a useful benchmark for the following four week cycles. Much more extensive advice and examples are provided in the Writing Modules 7 & 8.

GENERAL TIPS

•Copy, copy and copy!


•Copy 2 x 150 word paragraphs from the reading tests (General or Academic)


•Copy highly rated samples of both tasks for your module


•Find a good tutor/native speaker who can correct your grammar and provide advice on word choice and structure


SPECIFIC TIPS

•Find a good tutor!


•In weeks 1-3 write 5 typical task 1s under non-test conditions


•In weeks 1-3 write 10 typical task 2s under non-test conditions


•Check out “hot topics” list for suitable essay topics


•After your tutor revises your writing tasks YOU MUST REWRITE AND REWRITE UNTIL PERFECT"

and if you like this advice would appreciate a "like" on FB if possible

https://www.facebook.com/ExpertIELTS

Hi Gelever,

I completely agree to what Matthews sir said. His comments are undoubtedly very effective for IELTS preparation.
One point which I would like to add for listening test is: "don't ever waste the 30 sec time which you get in between the sections for revision". Invest that time in reading the next section and underlining the key points. Anyway, you will get 10 mins for copying the answers, that time is more than enough to verify and copy the answers carefully.

It's quite true that the multiple choice question are the toughest one. For that, you need to carefully read the questions along with all the options at least twice. And carefully utilizing the 30 sec time will enable you to do so.

P.S.: These opinions are based on my personal experience (which is of 1 month ). But yes this does work for me.

Thanks!

Great thanks, Dr. Matthew, for your constant support and precious advice! That made me fear less of Listening section at least!! I. I got acquainted with your brochure for Listening and found I used to deal with that section differently. I thoroughly worked though each type-script after taking a test under examination conditions, finding unfamiliar words and phrases, idioms, useful collocations, and detecting and learning the tricks. Sadly enough, those tricks differ from test to test. I'm sure the IELTS tests are specially designed with different tricks so that only a very very experienced student could solve them all from the very first under examination conditions! I suppose the only way to be able to solve them is to become " a very very experienced student". "One can do so much and no more" ! Anyway, today I started to work as you recommended stopping the recording, rewinding, re-tacking a test several times until 100%, etc. I hope it will work out)
Thank you Prams. I really appreciate tips and hints of such the experienced student as yourself! I'm not very good familiar with examination conditions.

..."don't ever waste the 30 sec time which you get in between the sections for revision". Invest that time in reading the next section and underlining the key points. Anyway, you will get 10 mins for copying the answers, that time is more than enough to verify and copy the answers carefully.

Am I allowed to look at next section's questions in 30-sec time? I usually spend this time to revise what I've just written. I remember to read somewhere that it is not permitted, but I can be mistaken.

I guess, it's perfectly allowed.
Although, I am new to IELTS. Somebody having experience of writing IELTS, please correct me if I am wrong.

Well, I'm going to transfer this question to "Ask an examiner" section.
http://www.ieltsnetwork.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=5154
As far as I understood, you can spend 30-sec time as you see fit, looking at next the questions, dreaming, sleeping, dancing, etc.
However, you can't open your printed IELTS materials from the very beginning at the start of playing the instructions. I didn't really know about that. I guessed, tho'.